It has been a long since we've clowned on the New York Yankees, and for good reason: They just haven't been all that relevant.

Tonight, that changes. We'll find out whether the Red Sox malaise of late (Raylaise?) is truely confined to one park named after a breakfast beverage, or whether the Sox need to shake things up a bit (drop Varitek in the lineup? Give the suddenly cold Manny a night off?) to take their frustrations out on the pinstripes.

Fair warning: These Yankees aren't about to roll over and play dead. In fact, while they've puttered around playing .500 ball of late (5-5 in their last 10 games), they remain just five games back of the Red Sox in the win column and continue to occasionally put up insane numbers, like they did last night while trashing the Rangers, 18-7.

At the center of it is the generally dislikable Jason Giambi, the big ugly who has returned from scandal to mash pitchers' hopes and dreams. In both May and June, he hit over .300, hitting a combined 12 home runs and 33 RBI in 49 games. Oh, and he's still Moneyballin' it, posting an on base percentage of .446 in May and .430 in June.

A key side plot, of course, will be how the latest drama surrounding Alex Rodriguez plays out, considering New York newspapers are reporting he separated from his wife following rumors of infidelity with 86-year-old Madonna (him) and Lenni Kravitz (Mrs. Rodriguez). Unless I have those partners crossed?

I'll be heading home to Motherland Massachusetts for the Fourth of July, so posting will be limited through the weekend. Know, though, that I am probably yelling at television somewhere -- and this time, I won't even be yelling by myself.